The New Nation - Internet Edition

DU Correspondent

The government will release the detained Dhaka University teachers and students ending the legal process within Tuesday, said Education Adviser Prof Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman.

Addressing a press conference at a city hospital, he said whatever the verdict of the court the detainees would be released soon and they would remain in their respective posts.

Sources said the decision was taken following a high level meeting held at the Chief Adviser office yesterday noon.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed presided over the meeting while Army Chief Moeen U Ahmed, Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Education Adviser Prof Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Law Adviser AFM Hasan Arif, LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal and high officials of different intelligence branches and the government departments were present.

He, however, said the government would provide all kind of help to the university to impart quality education.

The detained teachers expressed satisfaction over the government decision while Vice Chancellor of the university Prof SMA Faiz conveyed it to the central jail after ending the two-hour long meeting with the government Sunday afternoon, sources said, sources said.

The detained teachers, who were arrested in connection with August 20-22 students unrest over a trifling matter, are Prof Sadrul Amin, President of Dhaka University Teachers` Association (DUTA) and the Dean of Arts Faculty, Prof Anwar Hossain, General Secretary of the Association and the Dean of Biology Faculty, Prof Harun-or-Rashid, Dean of Social Science Faculty and Prof Neem Chandra Bhumik of Applied Physics Department.

As per the government decision, only one detained student out of seven will get released along with the teachers because another students were accused of the army car torching case that was earlier submitted by Shahbagh police, sources said.

Meanwhile, DU VC Prof SMA Faiz told the journalists that the government has taken decision to release the jailed teachers and students, who were accused in the case No 53 and 54, soon completing legal process.

He, however, refused to comment about another two cases related to the Army car torching and vandalising where most of the charge-sheeted students were accused.

Prof Faiz also said the government will free the detainees even if they were not proved innocent.

He discussed elaborately with the Education Adviser about the release issue of the detainees at his residence till Saturday midnight saying “We are relentlessly trying for the release our colleagues and students as soon as possible.”

When the journalists wanted to know the specific time of the release of the teachers and students, the VC said the Education Adviser would clear it in his press conference.

'Students against repression’ and 'Chhatra Bandhu’ took out a silent procession and held a sit in programme to press home their demand.

A section of teachers including Prof MM Akash, Prof Mesbah Kamal and Prof Abdus Samad expressed solidarity with the students.

Earlier, Journalists for human rights and justice formed a human chain on the campus to withdraw the name of Golam Azam Khomeni, DU Correspondent of daily 'Bangla Bazar’ from a charge sheet of Army torching case.

Supreme Court Bar Association demanded immediate release of all the detainees withdrawing cases filed against them. The Association demanded it at a joint statement.

Meanwhile, RU Correspondent adds: A good number of students of Rajshahi University wore black badges and took out a silent procession bare-footed yesterday demanding unconditional release of all detainees.